If he’d been able to command the muscles of his face, he would have smiled at the sight, but he, too, was battling to rein in his unhelpful impulses and relocate his wits.
Inside, he was grinning delightedly. Almost deliriously. Who would have guessed that kissing the bossy, assertive, determinedly independent Miss Locke would so rattle his brain?
“The children,” she managed, still breathless. “Perhaps…”
He had no difficulty following her train of thought. “If Fellows’s great-aunt is agreeable to entrusting the three to us, perhaps we can offer to take them in her stead?”
She nodded, then shifted and ducked a shoulder against his chest, tucking her head beneath his jaw.
Insensibly soothed, he raised his arms and closed them gently about her.
“I realize that’s jumping several steps ahead,” she murmured, “but we already know we can manage them, and the circumstances of this journey are hardly ideal.”
He nodded, his jaw sliding over the silk of her hair. “It would be satisfying to try.”
“I think it would work well for both sides—them and us. If we decide there is to be an ‘us,’ then raising them would be practice, wouldn’t it?” She glanced up and met his eyes. “For any children we might be blessed with.”
He smiled and tightened his arms about her. “I’m very much in favor of practice.” He dipped his head and brushed his lips over hers. “Practice in that and all associated spheres.”
Their lips met again, and the kiss deepened.
It was very much later before they climbed the stairs and, with marked reluctance, made for their separate beds.
CHAPTER12
Two days later was market day on the island. All those with produce or catches of seafood gathered at small stalls in the piazza to sell and barter their wares.
Toby and Diana accompanied the children, who were eager to join in the excitement.
In an unusually contented and relaxed frame of mind, Toby shepherded his little group around the various stalls, interpreting where necessary. He was quietly pleased by the interest Diana and the children displayed in the local handicrafts as well as the produce on offer. Fine leatherwork, straw baskets, and enameled metalwork vied with vegetables, breads, olives, jams, preserves of all types, and honey. There was fish aplenty, as well as cuts of goat and lamb brought over from Orta.
Diana spent quite a few minutes examining a range of spices and herbs, an interaction that demanded all of Toby’s interpretative skills to correctly identify which leaves were which and what the various spices were.
After an understandable moment of standoffishness, the boys rejoined their friends, and soon, the five were running about the piazza in some sort of game.
For her part, Evelyn applied herself to charming the stallholders, many of whom rewarded her smiles with a gift from their display. She proved quite a magpie, gathering a collection of fruits and nuts in the small basket she’d begged from Giulia.
Giulia and Giovanni were also there, stocking up the villa’s pantry. As always when he availed himself of the villa’s comforts, Toby had made a sizeable contribution to the household’s finances. When Diana had inquired, he’d assured her no more was necessary, nor was any additional offer likely to be welcomed.
Diana had realized that his relationship with the Giordanos was more that of old friends than landlord and tenant, and she’d accepted his assurance without quibble.
For her, strolling in the mild sunshine, surrounded by happy chatter, with friends and neighbors calling to one another across the piazza and trading comments on this and that, was an unreservedly pleasant interlude.
Eventually, they met up with Giovanni and Giulia, both loaded down with purchases. Toby took some, and Diana looked around, saw the boys, and called to them to come and help.
Ever since their contretemps at the seminary, both boys had been on their best behavior. Immediately, they farewelled their friends and came running up.
Diana directed them to relieve Giovanni and Giulia of the extra packages they still carried. That left Diana and Giulia with a loaded basket each, which both could easily manage.
Their company formed up to return to the villa, and the more heavily burdened men and boys went ahead.
Diana looked around. “Evelyn?”
“Over there.” With a jerk of her chin, Giulia directed Diana’s gaze across the piazza.
She looked and spotted Evelyn, clutching Rupert the Bear in one hand and her basket in the other, but the little girl was standing stock-still, staring fixedly at the gap between the basket weaver’s stall and that of the beekeeper.
Diana walked a few paces toward Evelyn and called again.
